Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/504

358 WAR OF GRANADA. PART frontier of Ecija. While on this station, he was ' strongly urged to make a descent on the environs of Malaga, by his adalides or scouts, men who, be- ing for the most part Moorish deserters or renega- does, were employed by the border chiefs to recon- noitre the enemy's country, or to guide them in their marauding expeditions.^^ The district around Malaga was famous under the Saracens for its silk manufactures, of which it annually made large exports to other parts of Europe. It was to be ap- proached by traversing a savage sierra, or chain of mountains, called the Axarquia, whose margin occa- sionally afforded good pasturage, and was sprinkled over with Moorish villages. After threading its defiles, it was proposed to return by an open road that turned the southern extremity of the sierra along the sea-shore. There was little to be appre- hended, it was stated, from pursuit, since Malaga was almost wholly unprovided with cavalry. " ^8 The adalid was a guide, or nexion. When he is spoken of as scout, whose business it was to a captain, or leader, as he some- make himself acquainted with the times is in these and other ancient enemy's country, and to guide the records, his authority, I suspect, is invaders into it. Much dispute has intended to be limited to the per- arisen respecting the authority and sons, who aided him in the execu- functions of this officer. Some tion of his peculiar office. — It was writers regard him as an indepen- common for the great chiefs, who dent leader, or commander ; and lived on the borders, to maintain in the Dictionary of the Academy de- their pay a number of these adali- fines the term adalid by these very des, to inform them of the fitting words. The Siete Partidas, how- time and place for making a foray, ever, explains at length the pecu- The post, as may well be believed, liar duties of this officer, conforma- was one of great trust and personal bly to the account I have given, hazard. (Ed. de la Real Acad. (Madrid, 19 Pulgar, Reyes Cat61icos, p. 1807,) part. 2, tit. 2, leyes 1-4.) 203. — L. Marineo, Cosas Memo- Bernaidez, Pulgar, and tlie other rabies, fol. 173. — Zurita, Anales, chroniclers of the Granadine war, torn. iv. fol. 320. repeatedly notice him in this con-